Gratitude shows in benefits to those who served our country

Editor's note: Veterans Day is only a few weeks away. Since many baby boomers served our country during the Vietnam Era - either with boots on the ground in Southeast Asia or somewhere else around the world - we decided to focus on benefits available to veterans of that vintage and earlier. Services available to recently returning veterans will not be detailed here.

By Jean Murphy

Daily Herald Correspondent

Veterans deserve this country's undying respect and gratitude. They sacrificed years of their lives to do our government's bidding in often frightening and inhospitable places.

Thanks are definitely in order.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been charged with caring for American veterans since the Civil War when President Abraham Lincoln promised "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan." Today they oversee and/or provide everything from disability compensation and medical care to education and vocational training, home loans and burial-related services.

There are several lengthy booklets, distributed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, detailing all of the services they provide to veterans, as well as who qualifies for each and a long list of phone numbers.

For instance, health care benefits are available to veterans in all the branches who served the full period for which they were called to active duty (and did not receive a dishonorable discharge).

Eligible veterans do, however, need to enroll to receive their benefits whether they plan to use them immediately or not. When they enroll they will be assigned a priority group number based on their injuries (physical and mental), service, medals and income. Depending on the situation, copays may be charged for medical services and medications.

The list of services offered is extensive, ranging from crisis hotlines to dental treatment, nursing home care and services for the blind. It bears noting that those who served in Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, including Naval personnel who patrolled inland waterways, may have been exposed to Agent Orange and be at risk for a long list of diseases and disorders. Call (800) 749-8387 if you have concerns about this. Needy victims may be eligible for a small Death and Indemnity Claim pension in addition to medical services.

Eligibility for VA medical services, including admittance to a VA hospital, can be complicated and must be examined on a case-by-case basis by VA employees. Service officers with local veteran organizations can point you in the right direction, according to John "Dutch" DeGroot, Service Officer for American Legion Post 525 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1337, both located in Mount Prospect.

"We act as conduits to the offices downtown where the paid staff members are bonded and insured to help," he explained.

Disability compensation through monthly monetary benefits is also available to those with disability ratings of between 10 and 100 percent. Payments vary depending upon the level of disability and whether the veteran has dependents.

Some may also be eligible for vocational rehabilitation and employment services, but that must be evaluated on an individual basis, too.

In some cases the VA will also provide a limited amount of funds for structural improvements to homes of veterans disabled due to their military service.

When they reach the age of 65 or meet one of several other requirements, veterans who meet certain service, income and net worth limits set by law may be eligible for a pension. Payments are made to bring the veteran's total income, including other retirement or Social Security income, to a level that is set by Congress.

Many baby boomer veterans were eligible for and years ago took advantage of education and training benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill. That generally expires 10 years after discharge, however, so those benefits would no longer be available to most.

However, Illinois is one of only three states (the others are Texas and Hawaii) that offers veterans (who lived in the state for at least six months before their enlistment and then returned after their service) 120 hours of free education at any state-supported school. There is no time limit on this state tuition reimbursement.

"This is a phenomenal benefit," explained DeGroot. "I have used it for continuing education many times over the years and then there are Veterans Scholarships offered on top of it by the state."

The VA also offers the well-known VA home loans for eligible service members, veterans, reservists, National Guard members and certain surviving spouses as long as the veteran/service member (or a dependent child) intends to live in the house. Veterans can apply online at www.ebenefits.va.gov.

Private businesses also offer benefits and discounts to veterans who pay attention and know to ask. For instance, one local veteran was arranging recently for his daughter's wedding at an area banquet hall. He asked if they offered a veteran's discount and they did - 10 percent, which really adds up when you are throwing a wedding.

During November, the month when we honor living veterans, even more discounts are often offered in businesses ranging from sandwich shops to carwashes. If you have proof of your service, you get a discount. Your local American Legion or VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) often keep track of who is offering what so they can inform their members.

Contests and giveaways are also sometimes aimed at assisting those who served our country when it called. For instance, the Daily Herald teamed up with Junk Remedy last summer to offer a one-time free home cleanup to a veteran or an active member of the military. Valued at $2,500, the service included up to five 16-cubic yard dump trucks and staff to help them get a fresh start by clearing away unwanted items.

Veterans who retired with 20 good years in the military, either on active duty or in the reserves or National Guard and have the necessary identification to prove their eligibility (as well as those who are considered 100 percent disabled by their military service) may shop for discounted and sales tax-free goods at Px stores and commissaries on military bases around the country.

They may also take their loved ones to four different resorts around the world which are operated by the Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC). These resorts were built and financed by service members' own funds and now operate on a self-sustaining basis.

According to the AFRC website, these are full-service resort hotels available to all branches of the military. They provide quality, wholesome, affordable, family-oriented vacation opportunities to service members and their families, retired military, Gold Star Families and other authorized patrons. The resorts are Shades of Green at Disney World, the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu, the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Germany and the Dragon Hill Lodge in Seoul, South Korea.

"It is a real nice bargain," explained DeGroot.

There is also a well-known private charity called Veterans Network Committee Honor Flight of Northern and Western Illinois that raises funds and then takes World War II and Korean War veterans, primarily, to Washington, D.C. on a free three-day trip to view the war memorials. Some Vietnam veterans are also now being included, DeGroot said. The first day is travel; the second day is the trip into D.C. to visit 10 war memorials; and the third day is travel home to a big welcome home party.

Anyone interested in participating in this program may visit www.veteransnetworkcommittee.com.

There is another program offering day trips to see the memorials, called Honor Flight Network. The hub that serves this area is called Honor Flight Chicago and can be reached online at www.honorflightchicago.org. The group is now flying Korean veterans and accepting applications from Vietnam veterans as well.

Veterans can regularly enjoy fellowship with fellow veterans and keep up on events and benefits by joining a veterans organization. Any veteran who served in the military during wartime and received an honorable discharge is eligible to join the American Legion. To join the VFW, an individual must have served in a war zone and have the service medals to prove it, DeGroot explained.

While those are the best-known veteran organizations, there are actually 41 such organizations that are recognized by the military including the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Marine Corps League and the Navy Mutual Aid Association.

The last benefit offered to our veterans is burial and memorial services. The VA will honor a deceased veteran by furnishing an inscribed headstone or marker at any cemetery or a medallion to be affixed to a privately-purchased headstone.

They also provide an American flag to drape over the casket of each veteran and a Presidential Memorial Certificate for the next of kin. Those who choose to be buried in a VA National Cemetery may be buried at no cost. That "includes the gravesite, grave liner, opening and closing of the grave, a headstone or marker and perpetual care as part of a national shrine," according to the VA "Know Your Benefits" pamphlet. Spouses and dependent children may also be buried alongside their veteran.

The VA maintains 135 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico. There are five open VA cemeteries in Illinois, as well as one additional cemetery that will only accept cremated remains. The state of Illinois also maintains one veterans' cemetery - Sunset Cemetery in Quincy - where Illinois veterans may be interred.

There are special requirements for a veteran to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. According to DeGroot, a veteran must have died in combat or have served at least 20 years with some war service and have at least earned a Silver Star.

Take note that surviving spouses who are eligible for VA survivors pension benefits may be eligible for a higher maximum pension rate if they require the regular aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required for everyday living. This "Aid and Attendance" benefit is often used by families to help pay for nursing home or homebound care.